Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wireless communication system, and more particularly, to a method and an apparatus for access network selection in a wireless communication system.
Discussion of the Related Art
Network environments may include a cellular access network (e.g., 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Global System for Mobile communication (GSM), Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS), Evolved Packet System (EPS), etc.) and a wireless local access network (WLAN). To fully and complementarily utilize a dual accessibility to the cellular access network and the WLAN, demands for dual mode terminals are increasing.
Conventionally, access network selection mechanisms for selecting a WLAN among accessible WLANs are defined based on network loads or congestions. However, the conventional mechanisms do not provide a solution for a case when all of the accessible WLANs are overloaded or congested.
In case of a dual mode terminal, the terminal may select a WLAN access network instead of a cellular access network in case when the cellular access network is congested or the WLAN access network has higher priority (or preferred or user-selected). However, the conventional access network selection mechanisms do not provide a solution for a case when all of the accessible WLANs are overloaded or congested.